Chasing Shadows
by Rangergirl3
Summary: Sometimes, it's all in your head. Except when it isn't. Latest in the 'Lost Paladins' series.
1. Author's Note

Hey there!

Right, so, first of all, hello! Yes, I am in fact, alive.

So, if you're reading this, you're probably wondering why I haven't been as active on Fanfiction for...oooh boy, a long while.

Short version: My life got crazy complicated, _crazy_ fast in late spring of this year. I started working full-time and almost immediately had to pull in over-time because someone quit right after I started. Also, a lot of personal issues hit critical mass and I've been trying to keep on top of those. Among them are: Anxiety, depression, seizure-like panic attacks, and PTSD. Oh, and I also uncovered traumatic memories of my early childhood, but my narcissistic father doesn't believe me when I tell him that when I was four a neighbor was basically a demon from hell/my parents are really unsupportive/looks like they don't trust me when I tell them about important issues they don't want to deal with/sooooo much angst over here I feel like I'm in a spot-light and I'd really rather not be in it, but as long as I am I'm going to deal with it by making as many jokes or references that I can.

Yeah, it's been a long summer.

But - on the positive side - I'm feeling a little bit better! I'm seeing doctors, therapists, and getting the medicine I need. I'm also married to a great guy who adores me, and that's wonderful, and good friends who are helping me through all this stuff. I post more details on my Tumblr, so if you want to go check that out, you'll be sure to stay up to date on what's going on with me! :-)

Yeah on my Tumblr basically I post gen stuff about VLD, geek out about things I love, and post about my life in general. It's fun.

Anyway, this latest installment of the 'Lost Paladins' series is very, very much a work-in-progress. I write when I have both the time and the energy, so hearing lots of love from ya'll always helps, but bugging me for updates really won't. I promise I have lots of good stuff in store, but I'm trying to pace myself so I stay healthy and sane. Well, healthy, anyway. ;-)

Check out my Tumblr if you want - it's the same name as here, Rangergirl3. I'm also more active on Archive of Our Own just due to it being really easy to keep a series in 'order' on that site. :-)


	2. Lance

Of _course_ there was a Bermuda Triangle in _space_.

And of course they would run _right_ into it while everyone was on different levels of the Castle - effectively keeping them all from banding together and kicking evil-shadow-demon ass.

 _Quiznak._

Today just kept getting better and _better_.

Lance swore under his breath as he prepped his bayard for another shot, chancing a quick glance down the hallway as he did so.

"Freaking - shadow demons - come out of freaking _nowhere_ and try to _eat_ me - oh, sure - no problem - I'll just _kill_ the things I can't even hit- that'll be _great_ -"

A crackling sound came over his comms, and Lance broke off. Mostly, he spoke to himself to keep from panicking, but stars above, he just really, really wanted to be with someone now. _Anyone_.

Then _Hunk's_ voice came over the comms, and Lance felt his shoulders ease - just for a second - with relief.

Oh thank God. His best friend was still okay.

"-ance - come in - do - ou - copy - whe - are - yo - "

Lance knew his voice cracked as he answered, but he figured with all the stressful things that had been happening lately, that was understandable.

"-somewhere - near the airlock - uh - Hunk - can you - can you come - and find me - I - uh - _really_ don't like being here alone - uh -"

Hunk's voice, when it sounded, was very understanding. The signal came in clearer for a moment before fizzing out again.

"Oh, I gotcha, buddy - I'm on - my - way - "

Then the static rose up again, and although Lance strove to hear something - anything - he could make nothing out distinctly.

 _Well_...he thought as he looked at the dark shapes that moved in the hallway beyond.

 _I guess it could be worse._


	3. Hunk

Hunk frowned in frustration as Lance's transmission shorted out.

" _Dangit_ ," he muttered, hefting his gun and trying to figure out where Lance had said he was. "This literally can't get _any_ worse."

The transmission he'd received had almost completely unintelligible - something about - not wanting to be alone - which made sense, given it was Lance - the guy hated to be alone for any prolonged length of time - like, _ever_ \- but where was he _now_?

Hunk thought hard for a moment, and then he felt a cold, creeping sensation along the back of his neck.

The airlocks.

Oh, God.


	4. Rayzor

Rayzor swore and struck out at the shadow demons - or whatever the quiznak they were - with both his swords. As the blades connected with their forms, the shades shivered and split apart into mist, fracturing into a million different pieces.

Well, at least there were _some_ benefits to fighting on the astral plane.

He'd been talking with Keith in the Red Lion's bay when - whatever had happened - had gone down.

Now, both Rayzor and Keith were fighting off a small army of shadow figures.

* * *

As Rayzor dispatched another three shadow figures, Red made a growling sound that might have been grudging appreciation.

 _Well done_ , the Red Lion said. _Now, look to my Paladin. He could use some help._

Rayzor growled something very not-mature under his breath as he chanced a look back towards where a figure in red armor fought his own demons.

"Are you sure, Red? He looks like he's doing fine."

The Red Lion sounded annoyed when he answered.

 _It's been only two weeks since he was nearly taken by Haggar. He is far from being 'fine'._

Rayzor muttered something about 'over-concerned Lion' and stomped over to where Keith had just dispatched two more shadow-figures.

As he did, Keith glanced over at Rayzor and half-rolled his eyes.

"Red's telling you to look after me, right?"

Rayzor rolled a shoulder. "I think so."

When Keith tilted his head in a questioning manner, Rayzor elaborated. "I can't hear Red - as easily as - uh - before."

 _When you almost died._

Keith seemed to understand.

"Oh." he said. "Right."

Then more shadows came, and Keith and Rayzor went back to back.

"Any idea on how we get out of here?!" Rayzor called over his shoulder.

"Not - really - " Keith managed as he barely avoided getting killed - again. " - but - I'm open - to suggestions - "

Rayzor hated to admit it, but he really didn't have any.


	5. Matt

"MATT! DUCK!"

Given the current situation, Matthew Holt was in _no_ mood to make a joke about an animal. He ducked, and the shining bayard sliced the leaping form into two.

He staggered, his habit of favoring his bad leg making it harder for him to keep his balance, and another shadow form reached out towards him, claws out, teeth sharp, with a clear intent to kill.

With an animal roar of fury, Pidge killed _it_ before it had a chance to touch him.

* * *

Matt hadn't really seen this side of his sister before - the completely bad-ass, eyes-of-fire, hand-to-hand _fighter_.

He's always _known_ she had a fierce fighting spirit, but it was one thing to _know_ it, and another thing entirely to _see_ it in the middle of battle.

He still remembered the day she'd come home from the hospital, all big eyes and tiny fingers and wrapped up in pink blankets, and in _so_ many ways, she had reminded him of a wide-eyed, innocent little kitten - tiny and small and _infinitely_ vulnerable. And _cute_.

She would kill him if he told her all that, but now...

Now watching her fight was like watching a _lioness._ But of course, being her older brother, he had a responsibility to protect her _,_ regardless of the time, place, or situation.

As well as tease her, threaten any person interested in her romantically with swift and painful death if they ever mistreated her, and to lean one elbow on her head and ask her what she was doing when she was _obviously_ in the middle of coding, just to see her complete annoyance at being interrupted.

* * *

Just then, three shadows reached out for Katie, and Matt struck out at them with the - what had Shiro called it in training - oh, right. A bo staff, one that had lines of gleaming Altean energy running along its entire length.

His strike didn't seem to affect the shadows the exact same way Pidge's bayard had, but it _did_ seem to hurt them all the same.

Matt felt his pulse quicken as he realized the shadows' weakness.

"They're susceptible to Altean energy!" he yelled over his shoulder. "Especially the bayards!"

He and Katie had gone back to back, and she'd already lashed out again with her bayard at one shadow who had tried to reach out at them.

The shadow made a hissing noise and drew back, as if annoyed -

Wait...annoyed?

 _Oh,_ _ **shit**_ _._

"THEY CAN UNDERSTAND US!" Katie hollered back at him.

"I CAN SEE THAT!" Matt yelled back at her. "BUT HOW DO WE MAKE THEM STAY DOWN?"

His sister didn't have time to answer. The shadows she'd killed had already started to reform, and Matt swallowed as he kept watching the darkness.

If they didn't figure out the answer soon, both the Holts were done for.


	6. Aurelis

Aurelis skidded into the infirmary, scrambled for the door, and managed to slam it shut just in time to keep the shadows outside from grabbing him. Part of his sleeve was caught in the door, and he pulled the fabric free with a tearing, ripping sound which might have made him wince in other circumstances.

Shadow demons.

Of course it was something you couldn't just _kill_.

But Aurelis was a _healer_.

He didn't _want_ to kill things.

At least, most of the time.

But Haggar had quickly earned a singular honor.

She had managed to piss him off.

He stomped over to where the medical supplies were stored and began pulling out the supplies he needed.

Fine, then.

The witch wanted to mess with everyone's mind?

Two could play at _that_ game.


	7. Shiro

Shiro wasn't sure exactly what had just happened. One minute, he and Allura had been walking through the Castle, on their way to the training deck.

"It's fascinating, really," she'd said. "Shiro, I think - "

The next instant, the entire Castle shook once, violently, from side to side, as if a giant, unseen hand had picked it up and shaken it like a toy.

He'd staggered, falling against the wall of the passageway and he'd heard Allura scream, not out of terror - but out of confusion, or maybe even pain.

Then all the lights went out.

* * *

For one second, two, he'd held still, waiting for the emergency lights to come on, trying to hear where Allura might be.

When the lights did come on, they were hazy and faint, like something was interfering with the power source.

Shiro felt his heart skip a beat as he realized that everything was _quiet_.

He wanted to call out for Allura, to find her, to make sure she was safe, but something told him danger was near.

It was near, and it was looking for him.

But...

 _Allura was connected to the Castle._

If something was wrong with the Castle, she could be in trouble. She could be in _danger_.

He was the only one close enough to help her before whatever was - coming - _found_ her.

But if he moved, or made any noise, it might find _him_ , instead.

Shiro felt sweat trickle down his back. He'd begun to tremble, and he knew it wasn't from exertion, or from the temperature inside the Castle.

It was from fear, plain and simple.

Mindless, numbing, paralytic _fear_.

 _No_.

Not _now_.

Don't freeze _now_.

From somewhere nearby, he thought he heard movement.

Was it Allura?

Or was it something - else?

* * *

Shiro couldn't see much in the near-dark, but he forced himself to focus his eyes on where the noise had come from.

It was - someone small.

Beyris?

No, that couldn't be it - she'd been several levels away - so it could - only be -

" _Allura_?"

The small figure turned around, looked up at him. She seemed confused, but not scared, not in the same way he was.

"Yes?"

Then Shiro might have laughed, if the sense of oncoming danger hadn't been so great, and if he wasn't trying desperately to register what he saw in front of him now.

Allura had just - de-aged.

Into a _six_ -year old.

Whatever Altean clothes did, they apparently retained the ability to adjust to their wearer's proportions, so basically the kick-ass princess he'd just been talking to a second ago was now a minature version of herself.

God, she was so _little_.

Then she asked what his name was, and why the Castle had gone dark, and he realized it was something more than simply de-aging.

She didn't know who he was, and - and _she_ sure as hell didn't know what was going on.

 _That makes two of us, then._

"Who are you?" she asked again, and she took a fighting stance, a defensive one. "Where is my father? Where is Coran?"

She hid it well, but Shiro knew concealed fear when he saw it. He lived with it every day, after all.

Shiro realized he must look pretty threatening, being so much bigger than her. He went down onto one knee, so that he could be on her eye-level, making sure to keep his distance as he did so, keeping both his hands at his sides, palms up, to show her he didn't want to fight.

Even if she was only six, he did _not_ want to come up against Allura in a serious battle.

"Look," he said. "You don't know me, but I just want to find Coran. I think he can help us find out what's happening to the Castle."

She looked at him, eyes narrowed.

"I still don't know your name," she said.

Shiro bit his lip. "It's Shiro."

Her eyes furrowed in concentration, as if the name was distantly familiar.

"Shiro..."

He nodded.

"Like I said. You don't know me, but I want to find Coran too. Can you help me find him?"

She tilted her head and looked back up at him, clearly thinking it over before coming to a decision.

"I think so," she said. "But you'll have to follow me. And don't get too close. I could break your knee-caps."

Shiro had no doubt she could, but all the same, he just barely managed to keep a straight face as he answered.

"Got it."

 _When things were back to normal, he was_ _ **never**_ _going to let her hear the end of this._

She kept a wary distance from him as he rose to his feet. Then they turned and headed down the passageway, her keeping him in her line of sight the entire time.

They had only gone a few feet when there was a noise further down the passageway, a skittering, scraping sort of _screech_ of claws on metal, and Shiro knew that something bad was coming, it was coming very, _very_ fast, and it was _hungry_.

* * *

In front of him, young-Allura had stopped dead in her tracks at the sound. Her eyes were wide, her face pale.

She was frozen to the spot in fear.

Seeing her freeze within striking distance of whatever lurked in the darkness broke the paralysis that had held him in place before.

Shiro shouted at young-Allura to run, _now_ , and he lunged forwards, snarling and activating his cybernetic arm even as something stepped forwards from the darkness of the shadows.

It was -

Him.

The _thing_ he'd last seen on Haggar's ship.

Even as he moved to intercept the thing, young-Allura took a step back from it. Her face was still pale, but her eyes weren't _scared_ anymore. They were afraid, yes, but not - petrified.

It was hard to describe.

But when she spoke, it was clear she saw through enough of the illusion to know this _thing_ was wearing a disguise.

"You're not Shiro."

The thing with yellow eyes looked back at her. It was not a kind expression.

 _No._

Then it smiled, and its teeth were sharp as knives.

 _But I'm what he_ _ **could**_ _be._


	8. Hunk and Lance

Back in the darkened hallway, Lance took aim, breathed out, and took the shot.

The thing coming down the hallway towards him took the bolt of Altean energy straight to the chest. It shimmered, flickered, and vanished for an instant.

In the time it took to reshape itself, the Blue Paladin had lined up another shot.

But before the shadow could fully reform, it was torn asunder by a different shot, one that wasn't blue at all.

It was yellow.

Lance whirled around as a grin crossed his face.

"HUNK!"

The Yellow Paladin was charging forwards, firing his gun at the shadows and roaring at the top of his voice.

" _LANCE_!"

Even as they met each other in the hallway, Lance brought his gun up to bear again. The muzzle of the gun pointed over Hunk's shoulder, towards the dark of the hallway behind the Yellow Paladin.

" _Get_ _ **down**_!"

Hunk saw Lance's expression and threw himself to one side, even as Lance roared the command at the top of his voice. The Blue Paladin's shots took down two shadow forms as they threw themselves towards Hunk, and they flickered as Hunk regained his feet.

"It's good to see you, man," Hunk said, even as he readied his gun for another shot as they stood back to back in the hallway. Shadow forms circled them, just out of reach. Voices called from both near and far at once, some familiar, some not.

To be honest, it was _really_ creepy.

But then, they were in the Space Bermuda Triangle.

 _Anything_ might happen.

* * *

Hunk went on, shooting another shadow into ribbons of darkness as it tried to rush them.

"I was really worried about you - I thought maybe - the airlocks - "

Lance glanced back over his shoulder at his friend. His smile was genuine, but there was steel behind it.

"Aw, Hunk, you shouldn't have - you know that old saying. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me -"

A second shadow made the mistake of reaching towards the Yellow Paladin.

A blue arc of light lanced out and hit it right between its non-existent eyes. The form went indistinct and fuzzy, as if it were blurred from rain.

Lance shot it twice more for good measure as he finished the saying.

"-fool me _twice_ \- shame on me. That witch's tricks are getting old. But then, she's like, _ancient_ , so...that's to be expected."

Despite their dire situation, Hunk let out a snort of laughter.

"Just how long have you been waiting to say that?"

Lance's grin could be heard in his voice. That, most of all, was enough proof for Hunk that it was his friend who spoke.

" _Ages_."

Just then, a pulse of invisible energy rippled through the Castle of Lions, and they both staggered in shock.

Hunk heard Lance swear as he turned, looking down the hallway again.

"What the _hell_ \- "

Even as the words left his mouth, something condensed into being right behind the Blue Paladin.

It wore a familiar face, but its eyes were hard and cold as ice in midwinter.

Hunk found his voice had shrunk to only a croak.

"Lance - behind - "

Lance turned, saw, stared in confusion and shock.

He didn't have time to move before the thing lashed out with one hand, its claws as sharp as daggers. The claws tore deep into Lance's side, and even as he screamed in pain, the Blue Paladin brought his bayard back up and struck blindly at the thing in the shadows, but his blow was weak. It didn't hit his enemey, and the thing only laughed in scorn and vanished even as Hunk rushed over to Lance, frantic and scared and confused.

"Lance - what - oh, God - Lance, listen, I'm going to get you to the med-bay, okay? It'll be fine - it'll be - ''

Lance had half-fallen against one wall, still holding his bayard rifle in one hand, the other clutching his injured side. He was still staring into the shadows.

"Hunk - did - did you see - "

He broke off, going pale with pain, and Hunk decided it was time to get Lance to safety.

He grabbed his friend's good arm and hoisted it over his shoulders, so he was taking most of his friend's weight.

"Don't think about it. Anyway, we know it wasn't him."

It took Lance a few seconds to answer.

"...'course...it...wasn't..."

Hunk had already started to fire away at the remaining shadows, trying to clear a path down to the Infirmary.

Lance was still talking.

"...yeah...wouldn't...be...him...but...it's just..."

Hunk didn't have much breath to spare, but he managed to nod as Lance continued.

"...I thought..."

Even as Hunk started down the infirmary, the figure appeared again, this time some ways down the corridor. As it turned to face them, Hunk saw the face, the form, and in so many ways, it looked _just_ like their friend.

But there was something about it that could never, _ever_ be right.

Hunk growled and hefted his gun again, even the thing pretending to be their friend cocked its head to one side, as if mockingly inquiring what they were doing. Yellow irises gleamed in the dark, and as it took a step towards them, the light shone redly on the claws of its left hand.

Hunk couldn't hear Lance's usual confidence when his friend spoke.

"Oh... _shit_..."

It was then that Hunk knew, with complete and utter certainty, what they were dealing with.

The witch's magic - or curse - or whatever it was - was able to mimic more than voices.

It could take forms, too.

Forms of anyone the witch could think of.

 _And this one -_

"I'm curious," the monster with Keith's face and voice said, and Hunk sensed what was coming even as the thing that mimicked their friend took another step towards them, yellow irises gleaming ominously.

" _It's not_ _ **him**_ ," Hunk said, and at his side, Lance swallowed.

"Yeah...yeah...I know..." he said, but then their fr - no, this thing was only pretending to be their friend, it wasn't him, it wasn't him _at all_ \- spoke, and it seemed darkly amused.

"How fast can you run?"


	9. Keith

When the world shook around him, Rayzor kept his balance and struck out at the shadows once more.

Then he realized that - somehow - he was back in the real world, and the menacing shadows around them had gone.

But when he glanced behind his shoulder, he didn't see Keith.

Keith was - gone - but - how -

Then a really, _really_ annoyed voice said, from right next to his elbow,

"Oh, that's just _perfect_."

* * *

Even as Rayzor whirled about in what another person might have called shock, he realized that Keith was - shorter?

 _What_?

He still wore the armor of the Red Paladin - but he was certainly no taller than Pidge now.

He'd - shrunk.

 ** _What_** **?!**

" _Before_ you ask," Keith said, still glaring up at Rayzor, " _No_. I have _no_ fucking clue what just happened."

Rayzor blinked once, then realized he looked as confused as he felt, and attempted to compose his expression.

"Ah. Um - Keith - "

Keith turned his glare towards his own, shorter arms, and the two swords he still held. They had re-adjusted, so now they resembled daggers, rather than full-length blades.

"Okay," Keith said, and took in a breath, clearly attempting to focus, to calm himself. "Okay. So - I'm younger. Somehow."

Rayzor knew he still had much to learn about how humans - or Galra - or Alteans - aged - but from his limited experience, it seemed like it was _not_ supposed to happen in reverse.

"You're - younger?"

Keith turned his glower back to Rayzor and replied through gritted teeth.

" _Apparently_."

"But - you still retain your memories?"

Keith huffed out a breath. "I just called _you_ by name, didn't I?"

Rayzor growled back in turn, turning again to face the room, to guard against potential enemies.

"Oh yes, you're still you, that's for damn cer-"

Just then, an annoyed hiss from somewhere nearby made them both look down at the floor.

Where a very, _very_ small red cat was clawing ferociously at Keith's right leg with its two front paws, demanding his immediate and complete attention.

* * *

Well, to be precise, it was more a kitten than a cat.

But it was _definitely_ Red.

That much was for certain.

It clawed and mewed imperiously at Keith until he sheathed one of his weapons and picked it up, whereupon it immediately attempted to wriggle out of his grip again, clearly unhappy at staying in one place for very long. The de-aged Red Paladin had to sheathe his other weapon to maintain hold of the animal, who proceeded to scratch him.

"Ow! _Red_! **_Stoppit_**!"

Rayzor wrested his attention back to their immediate surroundings. It _seemed_ the enemy had retreated for now, but he was under no false impression of safety.

The enemy would be back, and soon.

If they could fall back to a safe place - the Infirmary, perhaps - they could regroup, and figure out what was going on in this Castle.

Keith had just managed to hold the cat out in front of his face, so that he could glare into its eyes.

" _Red_ ," he said, "come _on_ , that's not helpi-"

Even as he spoke, the lights in the room pulsed, dimmed, wavered, and suddenly went out, plunging the room into darkness.

* * *

Something about this dark - about the way it _felt_ \- caused Keith to freeze into place.

The cat had frozen too, but then, without warning, it twisted out of his grip - as silently and as easily as if it were made of water - leapt to the floor, and was gone.

It took Keith a second to remember how to speak. When he did, his voice was no more than a whisper.

"Red?"

 _Dammit, Keith, get it together._

He clenched his fists, forced himself to breathe.

Breathe in, breathe out.

 _It's just darkness._

 _It can't hurt you._

Even as he thought the words, there was a dramatic sigh from someone standing in the room, like whoever it was could hear _exactly_ what Keith was thinking, and thought him a fool for it.

But it wasn't from Rayzor.

 _Then - who -_

Then a voice spoke, and it was one that Keith thought he had left behind in nightmares.

"Come now, Keith. You of _all_ people should know that's not completely true."

That voice - that voice was -

 _Jenick_.

 _Jenick was standing_ _ **right**_ _ **by him.**_

The voice continued.

"It is what's _in_ the darkness that _can_ hurt you - _but you knew that already, didn't you_?"

Keith felt ice cold terror numb his brain, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe, or move, or think at all - but in that same frozen instant, he heard two things that definitely were _not_ Jenick.

A cat's furious yowl, and someone else, a voice he knew, a friend's voice, and then someone shoved him out of the way, and Keith fell to one side.

* * *

A few heartbeats later, the lights came back on, and Keith saw that in the darkness, a shadow form had crept close, had stretched one hand to grab him by the neck - but -

Rayzor now stood in front of Keith, both of his swords firmly embedded in the shadow form's chest, and Keith could see that the red kitten had attached itself to the shadow's outstretched hand and was tearing and ripping at the whirling shards of darkness, snarling out words that Beyris hopefully hadn't heard yet.

"Stay. _Dead_." Rayzor growled into the thing's formless face, and then he tore both of his swords free of the shadow demon.

Even as the torn shadow faded entirely out of existence, the red kitten leapt down onto one of Keith's arms and walked across his shoulders, brushing its tail underneath Keith's chin and purring like it was very, very pleased with itself.

 _See how I killed it for you, my Paladin? Are you not pleased with my work?_

Keith tried to laugh, but couldn't. Not yet. But he did manage to half-roll his eyes, and after a few seconds, he even managed to croak,

"R-Rayzor helped, R-Red."

The kitten regarded Rayzor with a regal air from his perch on Keith's shoulders.

 _Yes, he did._

Then Red licked one paw, flicked an ear, and cast a sideways glance at both his Paladins in that way only a cat could.

 _A little._

Rayzor exchanged looks with Keith.

"Is he always like this?"

Then Rayzor's eyes widened in concern, and Keith realized that Rayzor was - looking _down_ at him.

When Keith looked at his hands, he realized he'd de-aged yet again.

 _Oh, come_ _ **on**_ _._

He looked back up at Rayzor.

"Uh...I think we should find Allura."

From his perch on Keith's shoulder, Red meowed again in agreement.


	10. Beyris

Beyris hadn't thought her morning would include crawling in the air ducts and ventilation tunnels of the Castle.

But then, life with the Paladins of Voltron really wasn't very predictable.

She'd been scurrying in the halls towards the Infirmary, where the Princess - she was so nice, and Beyris thought if her hair got to be long one day she'd like to try wearing it just like Allura wore her hair - had been going to help her take some tests, but not the scary kind, with needles and machines that made loud noises, Coran had told her it wouldn't be scary at all, it would be just the kind where Allura would try and see if they had similar magic by showing Beyris spells or motions and seeing if Beyris could copy them.

Beyris bit one corner of her lip thoughfully as she continued to army crawl along the narrow airway tunnel.

She'd been looking _forward_ to the tests. Allura had been so happy to know that she could talk to the mice, and the Lions, and even though Black had really scolded Red for using some really interesting words, it had been pretty cool to realize she might have a natural talent for learning magic.

And not just any magic.

 _Special_ magic, like the kind Allura had.

Beyris really wasn't sure why that was - she'd been going to ask her uncle, or Aurelis, but she'd never had the chance before these stupid shadow things - shadow creatures, that was a good name - these _stupid_ shadow creatures had attacked and Beyris hadn't even been _close_ to the Infirmary, she'd been way too far away from it to get there before the -

She purposefully tried not to remember how the dark shapes had loomed in the hallway ahead of her, and behind, blocking her escape path, but then Chucule had squeaked and waved to her from an air vent, and she'd managed to crawl in and lift the hatch back in place just as the things had reached that part of the hallway.

She still felt cold and sick whenever she remembered how close _that_ escape had been.

But for some reason, the things hadn't seen or chased her.

Maybe the shadow creatures could only see _proper_ Altean magic.

Beyris knew she couldn't fight these bad things, so she had to hide instead.

These things were _bad._ It wasn't just the way they looked, or the way they moved, or hissed, or slunk along the corridors.

It was the feeling they brought with them, the cold, the fear, the... _darkness_.

She thought maybe her uncle, or Aurelis, or maybe Pidge could say it better.

Pidge was so smart. It was _so_ cool to know someone _so_ smart.

That's why she was going as fast as she could through the vents, to see if she could find anyone else, to figure out what was happening, to decide how to fight these things that had invaded their home.

Beyris bared her teeth in a minature version of the snarl she'd seen her uncle use when he spoke about Jenick, or Haggar, or Zarkon.

These bad things did not belong here, in her _home,_ where her _family_ lived _._

They had no _right_ to be _here_ , in this Castle where Hunk baked cookies and Pidge fought over remote controls with Matt and Lance make jokes that made Coran snort numvill out through his nose and Keith practiced sword-fighting with two blades with her uncle and Aurelis and Sam compared healing remedies and Shiro and Allura held hands when they thought she wasn't looking.

These invaders, these evil, vile things did not belong _here_ , and she was going to stop them, in _any_ way she could.

* * *

On her shoulder, Chucule let out a warning squeak and held up a tiny paw.

Beyris stopped dead, holding her breath and looking into a hallway that was divided into light and dark. RIght at the edge of the light, she saw a girl not much older than her. The little girl had white hair, and had her back pressed up against the near wall of the corridor.

Two people were fighting in the hallway nearby, and there was already blood on the floor. There was snarling, and cursing, and then someone's weight slammed against the wall, and then a voice, a voice she didn't recognize, even though it almost sounded like someone she knew.

 _"You know, it's a shame-"_

Another slam of someone being hurled against the wall or floor, followed by a distant cry of pain.

That voice again, so - _not_ \- the one she knew.

 _"I **really** thought this would be more of a fight."_

* * *

Chucule let out a stifled squeak of what was obvious dismay and rushed to the grating, squeaking urgently.

The little girl in the hallway turned around, her eyes wide and confused.

Beyris felt her own jaw drop open in astonishment.

The girl was -

But the younger Allura didn't seem to understand the mouse.

"Who are you?" She asked, and she seemed just as disconcerted as Beyris was. Her eyes went even wider, and she took a step closer to the grate. "What's going on - how did you get inside the Ca-"

Beyris opened her mouth to answer, but she saw something - _scary_ \- turn around in the shadows behind Allura, and she knew she didn't have time to waste answering questions, so instead of doing that, she kicked open the grate, held out her hand to Allura, and said, really quickly, because they didn't have any time to waste,

"Come with me if you want to get out of here!"

Allura hesitated for only a second before following Beyris into the ventilation tunnel. As Allura crawled past, Beyris reached out, grabbed the grate, and began lifting it back into place, just like she had before.

She knew she had to close this door, close it so that the bad things couldn't follow them in here. Behind her, Allura was asking the mouse what it was saying, and Chuchule seemed to be trying an elaborate dance or pantomime to make the meaning of her squeaks clear, but then -

Human fingers closed around the top of the grate, tried to pull it open again, and Beyris shrieked, drew back one of her hands, and slammed her closed fist on the fingers.

There was a yelp, a curse, and the fingers fell away. Beyris heaved the door back into place, shouting 'Initiate lock!', and saw the locks on the grate engage just as two hands - one cybernetic, one human - close around the top of the grate again and heave.

It looked like Shiro's hands, but they weren't. Beyris _knew_ that, on a level so deep, she felt it in her bones.

Shiro would _never_ scare them like this.

Sure, he played games sometimes, with her and the other Paladins, like hide and go seek, or tag, or things like that, but he never, ever acted so _scary_.

She knew he could be, if he was angry at the bad guys or fighting them, but he wasn't ever scary because he _liked_ being scary.

Shiro wouldn't do this.

Not to Allura.

Not to Beyris.

Not to anyone he cared for.

The two people that had been fighting - Beyris was almost positive there was some kind of weird magic going on, and the real Shiro had been fighting this thing, to protect Allura.

But it sounded like he'd lost.

* * *

Beyris knew this wasn't Shiro, so when whatever this - shadow creature - used its' version of Shiro's voice, she wasn't scared.

She was _mad_.

 _"Dammit. You just **had** to lock it, didn't you?"_

Beyris balled her hands into fists, feeling her anger pulse through her like a fire.

"What were you _expecting_?!" Beyris yelled through the grate. "I know you're not _Shiro_ , because I'm not _stupid_!"

She wasn't sure if they could get away through the tunnels, because the thing knew they were in the vents now, but at least the grate was between them and - it.

This thing was definitely an _it_.

Beyris scowled at the shadowy thing in a mixture of fear and annoyance.

Stupid _it_ , stupid shadow creatures, stupid _invasion_.

What in the _stars_ was going on?!

* * *

The thing tried pulling on the grate again, but the locks still held firm. Beside Beyris, Allura clutched her arm and said, in a shaky but clear voice, "Initiate force field. Protocol Haven."

A shimmering blue forcefield sprang into place, a half-dome that enfolded the two small girls and the mouse in a protective shield.

And not a moment too soon.

Even as the last word left Allura's mouth, the cybernetic arm lit up with an ugly, black-purple glow, and sliced the grate into pieces.

Beyris clutched Allura's arm in turn, but when the glowing cybernetic arm reached for them, it glanced off the force field with a sparking hiss, and there was a snarl of pain from the thing in the corridor.

The two girls clutched each other in a mutual hug, and Chucule arched her back and snarled from her perch on Allura's knee, as if to defy the darkness and its intent to harm and destroy.

There was the sound of someone muttering under their breath, as if annoyed, and then something moved in the shadows nearby.

Beyris looked over at Allura, decided she should try and let the Princess know what was going on.

"Um. So. I'm Beyris."

Allura nodded. Neither girl took their arms away from the other.

"I am Princess Allura. I seem to...be underinformed of what is happening."

Beyris nodded. "Oh. Well. Um. How much do you remember?"

There were yellow eyes at the end of the tunnel, but Allura and Beyris just looked at each other instead. Allura wrinkled her nose thoughtfully.

"Well, I know I'm in the Castle. And - that's about it. I was looking for Coran...but..."

She swallowed, and her voice wavered slightly. "I was attacked. A man - S-Shiro - fought the attacker, protected me. I - I don't know what happened to hi-"

There was a chuckle from beyond the circle of light, where movement still flickered from time to time. Something paced just beyond the light, just beyond where they could see.

 _"I could tell you, if you like."_

Beyris felt her spine prickle in fear, both for themselves and for Shiro, but she steadfastedly ignored the thing of nightmares and looked only at Allura as she answered.

"Okay. Well, I'm your friend Beyris. Coran is somewhere in the Castle. And I think there's some really weird magic going on around here that's been...doing weird things."

Allura glanced down at Chucule, then back at Beyris.

"It...made the mice talk?"

Beyris shook her head.

"More like you got closer to my age. You're kinda...older, usually. Sortof. Like, by a lot."

Allura's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"What?!"

Beyris shrugged a shoulder, but not enough where the hug would end.

"I don't understand it. But you can usually talk to the mice. They're nice."

Allura glanced down again at the mouse perched on her knee, and Chucule looked up at her and cheeped encouragingly.

Just then, something was thrown into the faint circle of light just outside the now-open ventilation tunnel.

When Beyris saw what it was, she gripped Allura's arm tighter.

It was Shiro.

The _real_ Shiro.

* * *

He was lying on his side, and he was hurt, and it - it looked _really_ bad. His left arm was broken, his nose was bleeding, and Beyris _really_ didn't like how his eyes were closed, and how breathing seemed to hurt him.

The voice from beyond the shadows sounded amused.

 _"I don't know how familiar you are with our magic, little ones, but I'll give you a guess as to what happens next."_

At her side, Allura tensed, but didn't really show any other emotion.

Beyris chanced a quick look at her friend, and saw that the Princess' face had gone very, very pale.

"What is it?" Beyris whispered. "How does their magic work - I mean -"

But Allura only shook her head from side to side, very quickly.

"It's ugly."

She took a breath, closed her eyes.

"These things take life force. They feed on it, use it to grow stronger. It's - it's fatal, given enough time."

Beyris swallowed. "Is it - is it something they need to survive?"

Allura shook her head again, and when she opened her eyes again, they were hard and cold with anger.

"No. It's just...something they like to do."

Beyris inhaled sharply, horror and disgust obvious in her voice as she looked between the thing in the shadows and Shiro, lying half-in, half-out of the light.

"They do it for - _fun_?!"

The thing shrugged. It looked less like Shiro now. It was more angular, more twisted and hunched. When it spoke, it sounded less like Shiro too.

 _"There wasn't much to take from this one."_

When it smiled mockingly at them, its teeth were still as sharp, as serrated as ever. As it glided back into the dark, its words became a low growl, hardly different than the snarl of a wild beast.

 _"But I enjoyed it, all the same."_

Beyris thought its eyes glowed brighter as it vanished.

* * *

She narrowed her own eyes and glared back into the darkness, even though it was highly probable the thing had gone.

It had tried to scare them, and yes, it had.

Of _course_ it had.

It was a creepy shadow creature with glowing eyes and magic that sucked the life force out of people, strong people like Shiro, who fought it and got hurt.

Of course that was _scary_.

But Beyris could be scary too.

Not like the thing in the shadows, the kind that liked to hurt people for fun, never, _ever_ that kind.

She knew her uncle and Allura and Coran and Shiro could be scary, but it was the _good_ kind of scary. The kind of scary that made bad people like Jenick go all pale and run for the nearest hole to hide in, the kind that her friend Keith could be when he was fighting the bad guys, the kind that Lance was when bad people tried to hurt his friends, and he woke up from a coma to protect them.

Actually, come to think of it, every single one of her friend could be scary, each in their own way.

Beyris knew everyone thought she was cute, and sweet, and nice, and all of that was true.

But she was going to the be the Captain of the Guard one day, and she no intention of letting the people she cared for get hurt.

So she was going to be scary too.

But in the good kind of way.

She turned to Allura, and felt a very odd smile come over her face.

Allura might not be able to speak to the mice at the moment, but Beyris could.

And maybe, she could do even more than that.

"'llura," she said. "Can we...make the forcefield... _bigger?_ "


End file.
